Every year automobile design has improved safety, handling, stability, and efficiency while most people are busierthan ever. At the same time the speed limits remain the same as they have been for decades. In other words:

ausfahrk:Where I live, nearly everyone drives 5-10 miles over the speed limit, but normal, not like maniacs.

Usually only a problem when you get the idiot drivers willing to race everyone and run up hard behind slower or stopped traffic before braking.

I was driving home from work one night, going only 30-35 in a 40 because the roads were slick ice when I watched an idiot hit two cars. I was only going that fast because I had the lane to myself and had the lights timed, so I didn't have to worry about stopping. A young idiot in the left lane got pissed because I passed him while he sat trying to take off when he got a green. So he raced ahead, only to not be able to stop and slammed into two cars waiting for the next light to change. As he realized he was then in trouble, I was easily going around the wreck and going on home. Speed is relative, what you do with it, is what decides your next moment.

lack of warmth:ausfahrk: Where I live, nearly everyone drives 5-10 miles over the speed limit, but normal, not like maniacs.

Usually only a problem when you get the idiot drivers willing to race everyone and run up hard behind slower or stopped traffic before braking.

I was driving home from work one night, going only 30-35 in a 40 because the roads were slick ice when I watched an idiot hit two cars. I was only going that fast because I had the lane to myself and had the lights timed, so I didn't have to worry about stopping. A young idiot in the left lane got pissed because I passed him while he sat trying to take off when he got a green. So he raced ahead, only to not be able to stop and slammed into two cars waiting for the next light to change. As he realized he was then in trouble, I was easily going around the wreck and going on home. Speed is relative, what you do with it, is what decides your next moment.

Do you ever get in the far left carpool lane, when all of the other lanes are totally open, and drive exactly the speed limit, then feel all smug about it because you're following the letter of the law? 'Cause I'm trying to find that asshole.

I've driven through tons of speed traps around Chicago going 70 in a 55 and the cops don't even blink. You need to be going 70 just to keep up with traffic. And if you drive under 60 you WILL die, either by someone rear ending you going 90+, or someone shooting you because you are blocking traffic.

Having commuted on I-80 for several years between central Nebraska and Denver, I'm getting a kick out of these responses ... We often averaged well over 85mph as I-80 is just straight and flat. Now living on an island where the top speed is maybe 60mph in very short bursts, I was so excited to drive I-80 again last summer and open up the road.

/My CSS story: One time when I was in college, my dad brought my Grandma out for a recital of mine. On the way to Nebraska, Grandma asked my dad if they could go any faster, to which he said, "Mom, I'm already doing 105mph. How much faster do you want me to go??"//Yes, dad gets a few speeding tickets, but always fights the tickets in court and generally wins.

BigLuca:I've driven through tons of speed traps around Chicago going 70 in a 55 and the cops don't even blink. You need to be going 70 just to keep up with traffic. And if you drive under 60 you WILL die, either by someone rear ending you going 90+, or someone shooting you because you are blocking traffic.

And that right there is why I love driving in Chicago when it's not rush hour.

PsychoLaurie:Having commuted on I-80 for several years between central Nebraska and Denver, I'm getting a kick out of these responses ... We often averaged well over 85mph as I-80 is just straight and flat. Now living on an island where the top speed is maybe 60mph in very short bursts, I was so excited to drive I-80 again last summer and open up the road.

/My CSS story: One time when I was in college, my dad brought my Grandma out for a recital of mine. On the way to Nebraska, Grandma asked my dad if they could go any faster, to which he said, "Mom, I'm already doing 105mph. How much faster do you want me to go??"//Yes, dad gets a few speeding tickets, but always fights the tickets in court and generally wins.

csb(sis)20 miles east of Lincoln one Sunday in August I got passed by a 3 series BMW eastbound at 100MPH. I turned on my fuzzbuster and followed 1/4 mile behind him all the way to North Platte, where we coincidentally filled up at the same c store. Followed him at 100 to Julesburg where a guy in a Monte passed us both. Kicked it up to 115 to keep him in sight. Outside Ft Morgan the radar detector started screaming bloody murder, so we backed down to 80 real fast. Passed the Monte driver in handcuffs 3 miles down the road. I made Omaha to Denver in just over 6 hours that day.

In most 75 mph zones in the West the average speed is close to the limit and few people are over 80. Driving around the country, I saw crazy fast drivers zipping around traffic in southern California, I-25 north of Denver, and Missouri. And we get a few in the Northeast.

lack of warmth:So he raced ahead, only to not be able to stop and slammed into two cars waiting for the next light to change. As he realized he was then in trouble, I was easily going around the wreck and going on home.

I didnt RTFA but I gotta ask: A QUARTER? as in 1/4, as in 25%? Was the question phrased "Do you go over the speed limit while masturbating furiously and weaving through traffic at least once a day?" and was asked in front of the respondents mother and clergy member? Because that's the only way I can even fathom that only 25% would be the positive response rate.

Who the hell did they interview? If that said 3/4 drive over the limit, I'd believe it.

/What irks me is when people are wanting to ride my arse at 70-90 MPH, usually in cars which have worse braking than mine. If you're going to drive at reasonable speeds (read: >70mph), at least give yourself enough reaction time to get out of a bad situation. Also, know what your car can and can not do. The latter being the most important. Yes, I'm looking at you Mr. Minivan driver going 85+ mph.

All traffic build up is caused by the assholes in the passing lanes driving 50 mph as they pick their noses and vacantly stare off into the distance. These lost causes are aided and abetted by other assholes in the lane or lanes beside them running the same speed and NO ONE CAN FARKING GET AROUND THEM. That is all.

I'm in that 25%. I know the highways in the U.S. were built for 70MPH or better. I remember when they started the 55MPH idiocy in answer to the fuel crisis in the 1970's. And I dare you to get on I-95S in Rhode Island, once you get past Providence, if you're not doing at least 70MPH you're gonna get run off the road.

And I do wish we built our highways the way the Germans built the Autobahn. The Autobahn is built for very high speed and is several layers deep before the top coat of concrete.

Everyone here drives a few miles an hour over - it's expected and the cops won't pull you over for it. It's the jackasses that go 15 miles an hour over and try to dodge around anyone who dares to at least treat the speed limit as a valid suggestion that end up causing huge accidents and making my commute 10x shiattier.

There was ice on the roads for a few days and we still had people trying to treat the roads like a racetrack.

In my experience, Pennsylvania drivers are the worst for getting in the passing lane and going 45mph. On I95. Between DC and Richmond. Of course, the actual speed on I95 between DC and Fredericksburg is 10mph between 3:00 PM and 7:00 pm (Southbound).

ausfahrk:Chabash: thurstonxhowell: MagSeven: From my last visit to the DC/Virginia area last year, everyone drives like a maniac at goes at least 10 over, everywhere.

There are places where most people don't go 10 over?

It's called Oregon.

In Oregon, IIRC, the freeway speeds all end in 5, so people tend to round up to the nearest 10. 65 becomes 70, etc. So you're technically right.

I routinely see people doing 10 over on I-84 east of The Dalles. The OSP seems to be a completely different beast east of the Cascades. Still, I don't push it and keep it to only 5 over.

But over on I-5 south of Medford, when I see a car with Cali plates pass me doing 10 over, it is almost guaranteed that I'll see them along the side of the road 10 minutes later with an OSP trooper writing them up. And you'll see them pulled over again just outside of Eugene. The entire stretch of I-5 is like one giant speed-bump between California and Washington.

Dinjiin:ausfahrk: Chabash: thurstonxhowell: MagSeven: From my last visit to the DC/Virginia area last year, everyone drives like a maniac at goes at least 10 over, everywhere.

There are places where most people don't go 10 over?

It's called Oregon.

In Oregon, IIRC, the freeway speeds all end in 5, so people tend to round up to the nearest 10. 65 becomes 70, etc. So you're technically right.

I routinely see people doing 10 over on I-84 east of The Dalles. The OSP seems to be a completely different beast east of the Cascades. Still, I don't push it and keep it to only 5 over.

But over on I-5 south of Medford, when I see a car with Cali plates pass me doing 10 over, it is almost guaranteed that I'll see them along the side of the road 10 minutes later with an OSP trooper writing them up. And you'll see them pulled over again just outside of Eugene. The entire stretch of I-5 is like one giant speed-bump between California and Washington.

After driving north from California into Oregon, it takes a great deal of self discipline to keep it near the legal limit in Oregon. The highway is pretty much the same, but after doing around 80 MPH on I5 for hours (and still getting passed regularly), the limits in Oregon make you feel as though you could get out and walk and keep up with traffic. But yeah, you either slow down or get a ticket.